NCL statement on NLRB nominees

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL) applauds the nomination by President Obama of Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to fill the vacancies at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Block is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs at the Department of Labor and has recently served as the Senior Labor & Employment Counsel to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee under Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Griffin is the General Counsel for the International Union of Operating Engineers and serves on the Board of Directors for the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee.

“NCL urges the Senate to confirm these qualified nominees,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “We look forward to a full quorum at the NLRB, allowing it to continue in its historic mission of safeguarding employees' rights to organize and promoting civil and efficient union-management relations and collective bargaining.”

“There is a common misperception that the NLRB is ‘pro-labor.’ The reality is that the NLRB is an impartial independent agency designed to foster open, productive dialogue between employers and employees on fair labor practices, including collective bargaining, elections, and union representation—common sense intended to benefit both labor and management.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America's pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.